Penguin Merges Berkley Into Putnam/Dutton

In what looks to be a response to declining mass market sales, Penguin has merged its Berkley imprint into the unified Putnam and Dutton group.

Ivan Held, previously named president of a unified Putnam and Dutton imprint, will now take over the direction of the Berkley Publishing Group. As a result of the changes, Leslie Gelbman, president of Berkley Publishing Group, is leaving the company at the end of January. Gelbman has been with the house for 27 years.